Rotary regenerative heat exchanger for high temperature applications

Abstract

A rotary regenerative heat exchanger is particularly adapted for use in exchanging heat from a hot gas entering the heat exchanger at a temperature in the range of 2000°-3000° F. to low temperature air to be heated. An upper rotor and a lower rotor are supported concentrically about a rotor post mounted for rotation successively through the hot gas and air flows at a vertical axis. The hot gas enters and the heated air exits through the top of the heat exchanger, while the cooled gas exits and the cold air to be heated enters through the bottom of the heat exchanger. The upper rotor houses ceramic heat absorbent blocks adapted to withstand the high temperatures existing in the upper portion of the heat exchanger, while the low rotor houses typical metallic element suitable for use at more moderate temperatures.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rotary regenerative heat exchanger comprising: a. A vertical rotor post adapted for rotation about a vertical axis;   b. a lower rotor mounted concentrically about and supported from a lower region of said vertical rotor post, said lower rotor adapted to house a mass of metallic heat absorbent element;   c. an upper rotor mounted concentrically about and supported from an upper region of sAid vertical rotor post, said upper rotor disposed axially above said lower rotor, said upper rotor adapted to house a mass of ceramic heat absorbent element comprised of a plurality of substantially trapezoidal shaped ceramic blosks disposed in at least two layers about said rotor post, each of said ceramic blocks having a plurality of axially aligned flow channels extending therethrough and having a pair of side plates disposed along opposite sides thereof adapted to interlock with a neighboring block in an adjacent layer of said upper rotor;   d. housing means surrounding the upper and lower rotors add including inlet and outlet openings at each end thereof, said housing means defining a first flow passage for passing heating fluid therethough from an inlet at the upper end thereof to an outlet at the lower end thereof and a second flow passage for passing a fluid to be heated therethrough from an inlet at the lower end thereof to an outlet at the upper end thereof, whereby heat will be transferred from the heating fluid to said ceramic and metallic heat absorbent element as the upper and lower rotors rotate through the first flow passage and thence from said ceramic and metallic heat absorbent element to the fluid to be heated as the upper and lower rotors rotate through the second flow passage; and   e. bearing means disposed at the lower end of said rotor post for supporting said rotor post for rotation about its vertical axis and for precluding lateral movement thereof.   
     
     
       2. A rotary regenerative heat exchanger comprising: a. a rotatable central rotor post adapted for rotation about a vertical axis;   b. a lower rotor mounted concentrically about and supported from a lower region of said vertical rotor post, said lower rotor adapted to house a mass of metallic heat absorbent element;   c. an upper rotor mounted concentrically about and supported from an upper region of said vertical rotor post, said upper rotor disposed axially above said lower rotor, said upper rotor adapted to house a mass of ceramic heat absorbent element comprised of a plurality of substantially trapezoidal shaped ceramic blocks disposed in at least two layers about said rotor post, each of said ceramic block having a plurality of axially aligned flow channels extending therethrough and having a pair of side plates disposed along opposite sides thereof adapted to interlock with a neighboring block in an adjacent layer of said upper rotor;   d. housing means surrounding the upper and lower rotors and including inlet and outlet openings at each end thereof, said housing means defining a first flow passage for passing heating fluid therethrough from an inlet at the upper end thereof to an outlet at the lower end thereof and a second flow passage for passing a fluid to be heated therethrough from an inlet at the lower end thereof to an outlet at the upper end thereof, whereby heat will be transferred from the heating fluid to said ceramic and metallic heat absorbent element as the upper and lower rotors rotate through the first flow passage and thence from said ceramic and metallic heat absorbent element to the fluid to be heated as the upper and lower rotor rotate through the second flow passage;   e. a support bearing disposed beneath said rotor post adapted to support said rotor post for rotation about its vertical axis; and   f. a guide bearing disposed about said rotor post in the lower region thereof at a location intermediate said lower rotor and said support bearing adapted to preclude lateral movement of said rotor post.